The present invention relates to an assembly or packaging method and system for optical components and, more particularly, but not exclusively to semiconductor lasers where accurate alignment is required.
The accuracy with which component placing is required in the field of semiconductor lasers depends on the wavelength of the laser concerned. The shorter the wavelength the more accurately the components need to be placed.
Short laser wavelengths are required for a variety of applications. Thus lasers may be used for communications or to draw structures on silicon wafers. For 1.5 μm features, relatively easy to handle laser light of 436 nm is sufficient. However as features shrink below 1 μm, diffraction around the mask edges tends to lead to fuzzy lines and ineffective wafer components. This problem can be solved by using shorter wavelength lasers but then parts have to be more accurately aligned when constructing the laser.
Likewise with communications, shorter wavelength lasers can provide greater bandwidth.
Known techniques for constructing the laser components place the components on the PCB, but have to use expensive specialist machines for very accurate placing. The tools are expensive. The general technique that is used is to place the laser on the PCB, turn it on, find a maximum in the laser beam and then accurately place an optical fiber at the beam maximum.
The present embodiments seek to address the above issue and provide a simpler alternative for the placing of the fiber, given the placement of the laser diode.